VIRGINIA BEACH
The City Council is urging state health regulators to reconsider a plan by Bon Secours Hampton Roads Health System to build a hospital in Virginia Beach.
The Beach is large enough for two new hospitals, and residents would benefit from a competition in health care providers, Mayor Meyera Oberndorf said.
Oberndorf presented the resolution, which was unanimously approved by City Council on Tuesday night. Oberndorf said Bon Secours officials asked for city support as the health system appealed a state decision.
“We wanted choice for our citizens,” Oberndorf said.
In March, the deputy state health commissioner rejected Bon Secours’ applications to build hospitals in Virginia Beach and Suffolk and replace its DePaul Medical Center in Norfolk with a much smaller facility. At the same time, he approved two Sentara Healthcare applications: for a new hospital in the Princess Anne section of Virginia Beach and a 30-bed expansion for Sentara Obici Hospital in Suffolk.
The facility Bon Secours wants to expand into a hospital in Virginia Beach is less than a mile from Sentara’s campus on Princess Anne Road.
Councilwoman Barbara Henley supported the resolution but said she was concerned about the council getting too involved with hospital matters. “I thought last summer we decided we weren’t going to get in the middle of a fight on the hospital wars,” Henley said.
When Bon Secours and Sentara were seeking approval for plans to expand in the Princess Anne corridor, the council decided to stay neutral.
The city is getting more requests from hospitals, and it’s a concern, Henley said.
Recently, the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters asked the city to help it pay for its new building on Sentara’s Princess Anne campus.
“I’m glad it’s going to be in the city,” Henley said of CHKD. “But that’s a whole new step.”
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Ref DUH
Lake Taylor is not a hospital, it is a skilled nursing facility. It was a full-fledged hospital back in the late 1980s, but changed to its current setup. So there is not comparison.
As far as expanding, Sentara is doing that at Leigh. The ED along with several other units are being expanding. As far as changing Bayside to am ambulatory care and stand alone ED, I think it is a bad idea. Especially if Bon Secours is getting ready to shut down Depaul.
Duh...
Never said Bayside was a trauma facility. I am perfectly aware of which hospitals treat particular injuries/illnesses. Point is the fact that they are downsizing the closest hospital to VB's wannabe downtown. If anything, they should be expanding...to include a trauma center. How many downtowns do you know of where the nearest trauma facility is 15-20 minutes away? What Sentara is doing is no different than what the city oes. Focuses on "new" projects, while neglecting the existing. As for Leigh being ten minutes away. Yes it is...jut like Leigh is only 2 minutes away from Lake Taylor. Should downsize Leigh...not Bayside. On another note, I feel real sorry for you if you opt to go to Leigh.
Trauma Center
Sentara Bayside Hospital is NOT a trauma center. There are two trauma centers in Southside Hampton Roads. Sentara Norfolk General is the Level 1 Trauma Center (The highest level) and Sentara Virginia Beach is a Level II Trauma Center, if they actually got the designation back after losing is few years ago. Even if Bayside was shut down completely, it would not effect trauma services.
With Sentara Leigh being about 10 minutes away from Bayside is one justification for Bayside changing to an outpatient surgery center and a Stand-alone Emergency Department, just like Princess Anne and Belleharbour. So even emergency care will not be effected by moving the beds.
Why not...
Put an emphasis on expanding Sentara Bayside hospital as well. The east end has Virginia Beach General...south about to have possibly two new hospitals...yet for the north, they downsize the already inadequate facility. Not to mention...Bayside is the closest hospital to "downtown VB". Nice downtown its gonna be with the nearest trauma facility 15 minutes away.